Sweet Dreams
by AngelsFairyTail
Summary: Natsu falls sick to an illness that only dragon slayers can contract. While Lucy takes care of him, he falls into a dream world where his guild seems to have went crazy. Confused and frustrated, Natsu is forced to fight friend after friend to battle his way to Lucy who has been taken by the very guild she loves.
1. Chapter 1 The fever

**A/N: And here is another one. Lol, this idea came from PARADISE.x. This might not have been quite what you were thinking when you requested it but I thought that it should be something different. There are a lot of stories out there with a similar plot but I wanted this to be unique and funny at the same time. Hopefully I pull it off. Please let me know what you think! Thanks so much!**

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Sweet Dreams

Chapter 1

The fever

"Natsu, what's wrong? Are you okay?" The blond mage asked of her partner. Sitting at the bar, Natsu had seemed perfectly fine just moments ago. Now, his face was red, his temperature was higher than normal, or what you would call normal for him. There was sweat pouring down his face and he looked as if he was in pain.

"Ugh..." His head was spinning and his stomach was doing flips as if he was going to regurgitate. He felt like he had just lost a drinking contest with Cana while on a moving train. He wanted to answer his friend but found that he just didn't have the strength to do it. Lucy was really starting to get worried. Something was seriously wrong with Natsu.

"Mirajane, is Wendy here? Something is wrong with Natsu, I think he's sick." Lucy asked the barmaid worriedly. Mirajane glances over at the sick dragon slayer and places a hand on his forehead onto to retract it back the moment it touched.

"Oh my! Lucy your right. But Wendy isn't here, she is away on a mission and isn't supposed to be back for another week." This was bad. Natsu was in really bad shape and they needed to do something. She has never known of a time when Natsu has become sick unless he ate something other than his element. But nothing like that has happened recently, so what could have caused this sudden illness?

"Bunny-girl." Lucy spun around on the bar stool and faced the voice of the man who called out to her. "There is nothing you can do."

"What? What do you mean Gajeel, we have to do something." She stated. There was no way she was going to just leave Natsu like this. He was her partner, her best friend. She couldn't abandon him when he needs her.

"Like I said, there is nothing you can do. I know what's going on with him. It's something that has no cure, not even magic can fix him." Gajeel said as he looked over at the panting dragon slayer. Lucy was really starting to get scared. Was he going to be okay, would he be able to survive this?

"What is it Gajeel, will he be okay?" Gajeel could hear the concern in her voice and remembered the time when he too fell ill like this. It's not a fun thing to experience but it's something that is unavoidable for dragon slayers. Luckily for him, he caught in when he was still with his dragon. Metalicana taught him all there was to know about the ways of being a dragon slayer and everything that comes with it. This included.

"It's a rare illness, only dragon slayers can catch it. Every one of us will eventually fall ill to it at some point in time. Which means Wendy will too, but there is nothing we can do. He will be fine though, it passes in about a week but he can become delirious, and he may even fall into a deep sleep for several days. But it would be better if he does, that way he isn't awake for everything."

Lucy and Mirajane couldn't believe what they were hearing. They have never heard of such a thing but they were relieved to know that he was going to be okay. They prayed that it passes quickly and that he would be asleep for most of it, just like Gajeel said. But what would they do if he doesn't fall asleep? They couldn't just let him lay there and suffer. Wasn't there something they could do to ease the pain?

"Lucy, we need to get him somewhere he can rest. His house is a mess and the infirmary isn't very comfortable. Can he stay are your place?" The blond nodded, she was willing to give up her apartment for her sick partner but the question was, how were they going to get him there? His temperature was too high for just anyone to be able to carry him. Even Happy would have trouble touching him.

"Gray!" Lucy called out once the idea struck her. She knew he wouldn't like the idea very much but he was their only hope. His body temperature is lower than the others and hopefully that means he can manage to hold Natsu without burning.

"What's up Lucy?" Gray glanced over at his rival and saw how awful he looked before turning back to the blond and seeing the worried look on her face. Something wasn't right, and he could feel the temperature drop with each step closer he had come.

"Gray, Natsu's sick and has a fever. But he's too hot for anyone to lift him, is there anyway that you can carry him to my place? Maybe with your own temperature being so low, you might be able to hold him without being burnt." Shooting another glance at the dragon slayer, Gray thought things over. Even if he still couldn't touch him, he could figure something out with his ice to help get him there. He reached over and touched Natsu's forehead. He could feel the drastic difference from his normal temperature but it didn't burn.

"Alright, I'll help." Lucy smiled at Gray and thanked him graciously before he picked up the dragon slayer and carried him on his back. This was the best he would be willing to do, there was no way he was carrying this idiot in his arms or anything like that.

Natsu felt his body moving, he could feel Gray's cool body against his and shivered at the thought. He hated the idea of having to rely on Gray for anything, let alone something like this. No matter how much he loathed the idea of needing Gray's help, right now he was in no shape to object.

They left out of the guild, and headed towards Lucy's apartment. By the time they got half way there, Gray was covered in sweat and panting heavily. The high temperature Natsu was emitting was starting to get the ice mage. Lucy looked over at him concerned, hoping that this wasn't putting too much strain on him.

"Gray, are you going to be okay?" She looked at him with her big chocolate brown eyes full of concern. He pulled one of his arms out from around Natsu and formed an ice block in his hand. Running the block over his head, he sighed and felt slightly better.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." They started walking once more, stopping every once in a while so that Gray can cool himself off. Finally they made it and Gray placed Natsu down on Lucy's bed before throwing himself down onto the floor. Lucy quickly ran and grabbed him some cold water for him to drink. He drank the glass down in just a few gulps and he felt refreshed as the cool liquid slid down his mouth and into his stomach. Natsu had fallen asleep the minute he fell on Lucy's bed. It was just too comfortable and soft to fight. Lucy's scent reached his nose as he allowed himself to fall into his dreams.

Gray helped Lucy prepare some items to help take care of Natsu then left shortly after. He informed her that he would check up on them later, but he needed to get away from there. Natsu's heat was infesting the room making it hard to breath. He wasn't sure how Lucy could handle being in the same room as him in that state.

Lucy sat next to Natsu as she placed a cool wash rag on his head. Steam started to form as the rag started to dry. She felt her concern only intensifying as she tried her best to bring down his temperature. Nothing worked. She felt useless. She couldn't help him when he needed her most. She could only imagine how Natsu must feel and to think that he was going to have to endure this for another week.

* * *

Natsu awoke to see himself in his house. He sat up confused, wondering how he got there. Wasn't he just at the guild with Lucy? Shaking his head, he got up from his bed and walked around his house. Something was off about it, but he just couldn't place it. Oh! It was clean! Lucy must have came back and cleaned up again, but how could she have managed that? He was with her all day.

Not putting much thought into it, he searched around for his little blue friend but couldn't find him anywhere. Assuming that he must be at the guild, Natsu walked to the front door wanting to find a mission for him and Lucy to take. Instead of seeing the lush trees of the forest that surrounded his small house, he found himself inside another room.

The room was cold, white snow covered everything as a sheet of ice laid upon the ground. Confusion sets in as the dark haired mage strolls across the ice. He walked on it as if it was a normal road, neither slipping nor falling and made his way towards Natsu.

"Gray?"

"Natsu, your journey ends here." Gray's voice gave away the seriousness of his claim. Journey? What in the world was this freak talking about?

"What are you blabbering on about pervert?" Natsu crossed his arms and locked his eyes with the ice mage. What in the world was happening, and how did this strange place end up right outside his home?

"I will not let you go any further. You shall not take Princess Lucy!" Lucy? What does she have to do with this? And princess? What the hell is going on? Gray charged, ready to strike as Natsu prepared himself.

"Lucy, what does she have to do with this? And what have you done with her?!"

"We have done her no harm. She is protected. Protected from you." From him? What the hell did he do? All these questions were starting to piss him off and luckily Gray was there to release some of his frustrations on. He wasn't sure what was happening but he was going to find out.


	2. Chapter 2 Natsu Vs Gray

Sweet Dreams

Chapter 2

Natsu Vs Gray

Natsu stood on the threshold of his small home as Gray charged towards him. Gray's eyes showed the seriousness of the situation. Natsu and him may fight all the time but it is never serious. At least, not on this level. Raising his fist, flames erupted around his hand, the bright colors stood out against the white scenery surrounding them.

He charged forward, his fist ready to strike. Gray pulled his hands together formed the stance that Natsu knew so well. Shimmering lances flew towards Natsu as he jumped to dodge. Upon landing, he found his feet giving way and he started to fall. With a loud smack, Natsu hit his head against the thick ice that covered the floor. He felt dizzy and his head was pounding from the impact but he forced himself to his feet after a few tries, he finally managed.

When he turned back towards Gray, he had barely a second to avoid an incoming ice hammer that was aimed for his head. The hammer smacked into the ice, cracking it slightly before it disappeared. At this moment is when he realized just how determined Gray was to win this, and he wasn't going to let that happen. Natsu charged forward, a flaming fist aimed for Gray's jaw. As Gray dodged, Natsu found himself unable to stop the movement as he slid across the ice and slammed into a pile of snow on the edge.

He growled in frustration as he thought over how he could win this. Breathing in the rigid air, his cheeks expanded. With great force, Natsu blew out his tunnel of flames aimed directly at Gray who just barely missed getting hit.

"You will have to do better than that dragon slayer!" Gray announced as he shot more lances at Natsu. Still on top of the mound of snow, Natsu jumped to the side as the lances pierced the spot that he was just standing on.

"What the hell is going on?!" Natsu shouted in aggravation. None of this made any sense to him. This mysterious room right outside his house, the way Gray was acting and what the hell did all this have to do with Lucy?

"There is no point in explaining since you won't make it passed me." Gray raced forward, once more aiming another lethal attack towards him. Natsu tried to avoid landing on the ice so that he could move freely without falling or slipping. When he saw Gray removing the jacket he was wearing, Natsu had finally realized _what _he was wearing.

"What the hell are you wearing you ice prick?" He had just removed a dark blue jacket with gold trim and buttons that had a red cape attached to the shoulders. Underneath Gray wore a pair of white pants with a matching button down shirt that had a red tie and black dress shoes. This was just getting way too weird for the fire mage.

His question went unanswered as Gray attempted another attack on him. This time bring forth his bow and arrows. An array of shots were fired Natsu's way who was running out of space to be able to run. He would have to get back on this ice if this kept up. Quickly changing direction, Natsu launched himself towards Gray.

"Fire dragon wing attack!" With arms ablaze, Natsu grabs hold of Gray as his fire took on the form of dragon wings. The flames spread from Natsu to Gray as he threw Gray from him, causing him to smash into the wall onto the other side.

Jumping up, Gray removed the burning shirt, now standing there in only his pants and shoes. The twitch in Gray's brow told Natsu of the frustration he was starting to feel. Natsu couldn't blame him though, he felt the same way but there was a difference. Natsu had no clue as to what was happening and what has gotten into this dark haired mage, Why did he take Lucy and who did he mean by we?

"Ice make knuckle!" Large fists made of ice grew from the ground, following Natsu's every step. The last knuckle managed to strike right behind Natsu, causing the ground beneath his feet to raise sending Natsu flying upwards. Natsu landed and started to slip. As he attempted to prevent his fall, Gray stormed forward wielding a large sword made of ice.

The sword was brought down an inch from Natsu's face who just barely managed to dodge it. He started to slip once more as his hands instinctively reached out to Gray for support. He grabbed the ice mages arm but started to fall once more, forcing Gray to collapse with him. Both mages lay on the ice panting and groaning at the pain in the heads. Gray was the first to stand up, quickly reclaiming his sword. Natsu used his hands to dig into the ice and pushed himself away from his rival.

He slid towards the side of the ice and climbed on top of the snow that was beside it. Panting heavily, both males were feeling the exhaustion from the fight but tried their best not to show it. Once more Gray launched forward, wielding his sword in the air. Natsu blocked the hit and managed to connect his flaming leg in Gray's abdomen. The dark haired mage was sent flying towards the other side and his sword fell and shattered on top of the ice.

A trail of blood ran down the dragon slayers arm and dripped into the snow, melting it where ever it landed. Natsu charged forward, trying his best not to slip on the ice as his fist rammed into the ice mages jaw splitting his lip. Punches and kicks were thrown back and forth as the two fought furiously.

Panting, the two glared at one another, waiting for the other to make the next move. Gray took a deep breath of air then started to fall backwards, hitting the ice with a loud crack. Natsu rushed forward and knelt down next to his rival. Gray's were closed and his chest heaved with every large breath he took in. His arms and legs were spread out over the ice but he seemed comfortable where he laid.

"Ready to tell me what the hell is going on?" Natsu questioned. The ice mage opened one eye to peer at the man next to him. Cuts, scrapes and bruises littered the two who looked pretty worse for wear. Natsu had never spared on this level with the ice mage and found it to be quite enjoyable, maybe they should do this another time.

"High king Makarov is holding the princess in the tallest tower. Locked away so that you can not get to her." Gray panted out. High king Makarov? What the hell is going on? Is this some sort of joke? So many questions ran through Natsu's head but he didn't know what to think. Everything was just so confusing.

"High king Makarov? Your telling me that you are all acting like he is the king or something?" The dark haired man narrowed his eyes at the fire mage next to him, a glare that Natsu has never seen directed at him before.

"We are not acting, he is the king. And word has gotten out that the dangerous dragon slayer, you, is in search for the princess to steal away from the kingdom. We will not allow that. You may have gotten passed me but you'll never get further than the next person you will have to face."

"Why would I steal Lucy away? She is my best friend." Natsu asked, confusion written all over his handsome features.

"I don't know what world you are living in but you have never met the princess before and don't address her like that! She is Princess Lucy or High Princess to you!" Natsu shrugged not really caring about calling her such things. She was just Lucy to him.

"What do I have to do now?" Gray lifted his arm, pointing at the wall behind him where a door started to appear. Natsu thanked the ice mage before patting him on the shoulder and sliding over towards the door. It took a lot of effort but he eventually got there.

The door creaked open and led into a dark room that smelled of paper, ink and dust. He felt around the wall for a switch to turn on the lights but was having trouble. At some point he banged his knee against some piece of furniture before he heard a shuffling from behind him.

He stood still, waiting for whatever was nearby to move once more. Suddenly the lights flashed on, blinding the mage for a second before his eyes adjusted. He turned to see Levy standing by the door he had just came from but she too was wearing funny clothes.

She wore a deep blue dress that reached her ankles, the long sleeves revealed the shoulders but covered most of her hand. A gold sash was tied around her waist into a bow in the back and on her feet were matching gold flats. She stepped forward, slowly. As if she were approaching a dangerous beast that would attack her at any moment.

"Levy?"

"Yes that is I. I am your next challenge. If you really wish to win thy ladies heart than you have to pass each test before finally reaching the tower." Levy explained as Natsu became more confused. Her heart? What did that have to do with anything? And why was Levy talking so weird?

"So what's my challenge?" Natsu asked, knowing that this was just getting more and more confusing and he didn't care too much about details right now. If they were keeping Lucy hostage then there was really only one option. Rescue her.

"A test of knowledge."


	3. Chapter 3 Levy's test

Sweet Dreams

Chapter 3

Levy's test

"A test of knowledge."

Natsu stared at the blunette, face blank and unreadable. She squirmed slightly, unsure what to think. This man she knew of as a dangerous and wild beast yet here he stood looking like a normal human. Well except for that pink hair.

"What do I have to do?" He asked her slowly. She turned on her heel and pulled out a large, dusty book from the shelf to her right. She struggled with the weight of it before finally making it to the table in the middle of the room and placing it down.

"You have to answer a series of questions, and for your sake I hope you get them right." She flipped through several pages till she came across the one she was looking for. She gestured for him to take the seat across from her and he complied. "So let's get this started. First question, where does the high princess Lucy live?"

"An apartment on Strawberry street." That was easy, Natsu thought to himself. If all the questions are like then he shouldn't have any trouble.

"Wrong."

"What?" Natsu stared at the solid script mage, shocked that she told him he was wrong. He goes to that apartment almost everyday, how could he get it wrong?

"She lives in the tallest tower in the castle on the tallest hill. How do you not know this, yet you are in search of her?" Damn it, that's right. All his friends have went crazy and believe these weird delusions. "Second question, what is Lucy's favorite color?"

"Um." Natsu thought hard about this. She wears a lot of blue but she has a lot of pink stuff too, so could it be both? "Blue and pink?"

"Correct. She doesn't have just one favorite but two." A small smile tugged at Levy's lips before she turned her eyes back to the book where it disappeared. Did she want him to win? "Number three, what is Lucy's favorite book?"

Natsu's eyes widened. How should he know? He never paid much attention to what she read and whenever she spoke of books he would normally tune her out. Books weren't interesting to him so he would just get bored hearing about them. He racked his brain for all the times he was with her when she spoke of books, but he couldn't remember a single time that she had ever said that she liked any particular one better than the others.

"She doesn't have a favorite." It was a long shot, he knew, but the smile returning to Levy's face told him that he was right.

"Your are right again, she doesn't have a favorite because picking a favorite book would be like picking a favorite child to her. She feels that it is wrong to do so." Natsu actually liked her explanation, finding it to be very much like Lucy to say something like that. "Fourth question, what is Lucy's favorite food?"

Now Natsu was really stumped. Lucy never really talked about food unless she was scolding him about the way he was eating or what he was doing while she ate. And he never really noticed her eating the same thing repeatedly.

"Um, she doesn't have one?" Natsu tried that move again but Levy's eyes narrowed and her lips pulled into a thin line. He had apparently gotten it wrong.

"Wrong, she does have a favorite food. It is chocolate covered strawberries."

"Hey wait, that's more like a snack then food. That shouldn't count!" Natsu defended. He would have never guessed something like that, especially since he was thinking along the lines of actual food. But talking about food was starting to make his mouth water until he realized just how hungry he really was.

"It matters not what kind of food it is, as long as it is food." Levy flipped to the next page of her book, dust littered the air with each touch. "Your next question is what is Lucy's favorite hobby?"

"Writing." Natsu thought that he had this in the bag. That it was a simple question with a simple answer but Levy did not smile. Her frown deepened.

"If you wish to rescue the fair maiden then you will want to take this seriously. Lucy's favorite hobby is spending time with her friends." Natsu's lips parted, like he was about to say something but no words came out. How could he have gotten something like that wrong? And why are all these questions about Lucy? "On to the next. What is Lucy's favorite flower?"

"What? How the hell am I supposed to know?" Natsu's brow furrowed as he looked at this weird version of Levy. How was he supposed to know something like that?

"Natsu, if you wish to pass then you have to get as many answers correct as you can. Her favorite flower is a pink rose. The color and shape of the petals remind her of someone special to her." Natsu rubbed his chin as he thought over who could a pink rose remind her of. It's pink and it's petals I guess cold remind you of spikes...so does that mean him? His hair is pink and spikey. Well that would make sense, she is special to him like he is to her because they are the best of friends.

"Does it remind her of me?" A small smile graced Levy's features and a hint of amusement flashed in her eyes before she cleared her throat.

"Moving on, what is her favorite season?" What was with these questions? And what did any of this have to do with rescuing Lucy? He was starting to get frustrated, he was wasting time here answering stupid questions when he could be saving her.

"I don't know, spring?" His answer was nonchalant. He just wanted to finish this so he could get going.

"No. The answer is summer." Summer huh, another answer that refereed to him. But how was he supposed to know this stuff? She never told him that before. "Next, what is the name of the book Lucy is writing?"

A vein popped on Natsu's forehead, signifying the annoyance he felt. This was another question that he didn't know the answer to. He had tried to read her book once but after he received such a brutal beating from her, he never tried again. He barely finished the first chapter, how could he remember what it was called? "I don't know! She doesn't like it when I touch her stuff, so I never learned the name."

"If you know nothing of the princess then why do you search for her? What makes you think you are worthy of her?" Levy leaned against the table, glaring at the dragon slayer across from her. Natsu shot up from his chair causing it to crash against the wood floor with a loud bang. It echoed through out the room but Natsu ignored the ringing in his ears.

"Worthy? She is my best friend! My partner! I know her plenty without having to know stupid shit like this!" His shout did nothing to scare the bluenette. Her eyes narrowed at the pink haired man, her eyes cold and threatening.

"Oh really? Then what do you know of her?"

"I know that she's nice! She's kind, friendly, loving and warm! She's trusting, sometimes too trusting but she believes in second chances. She gives everyone the benefit of the doubt, she's strong, and loyal. She accepts you no matter who you are and never judges you. She is a true Fairy Tail mage and she is beautiful inside and out!"

The words left his lips so fast that he didn't realize what he was saying till he saw Levy's expression change. Her angered features relaxed and she even smiled up at him. "You really think a lot of her, don't you?" Levy's voice was calm once more, you could even say that she seemed pleased.

"Of course! Like I said, she is my best friend and my partner. If she wasn't such a good person then I wouldn't have brought her to Fairy Tail and I wouldn't have teamed up with her." Natsu had also calmed down, he had never actually gave much thought to how good of a person Lucy truly was but not that those words were said, from his mouth no less, he realized just how true they were.

"Congratulations Natsu, you have passed the second test. You may exit using the door behind me." Natsu looking behind her to see a door that wasn't there before. So this means that he wouldn't be able to move forward unless he was granted the way by his challenger.

"But how? I didn't get all the answers right?"

"I never said that you had to get them all right. The main purpose was to see just how much you know of Princess Lucy, and I would say you know more than most." Her smile lingered there, happy to be able to grant him his way. Natsu grinned at Levy, excited for whatever the next challenge may be. He didn't know what it was going to be but if what he saw was any example, he was going to have to get through all the Fairy Tail members to get to her.

Shouldn't be too bad, since most of it will require fighting. That is what they do best. He twisted the knob to the door and waved one last time to Levy. The door creaked open and he found himself in what looked like a run down building of sorts. Metal scraps were laying around everywhere, some even had bite marks in them. Natsu grinned, he knew exactly who would be the next challenger.

"Show yourself Gajeel!"

A grunt caught Natsu's attention as he turned around to see the said metal mage sitting on a pile of rubble, chewing on a nail. Gajeel spit out the nail and smirked at his fellow dragon slayer.

"So you managed to get passed the squirt aye? I didn't think you would make it this far, especially passed her. What did you do, cheat or something?" Gajeel howled with laughter at his own words as smoke started to flow from Natsu's mouth.

"Shut up metal freak! I didn't cheat!" Natsu growled at the dark haired mage. Gajeel stood up from his spot on the rubble and dusted himself off. He walked forward and dropped the extra nails that he was holding in his hands. Natsu cracked his knuckles in anticipation, he couldn't wait to get things started.


	4. Chapter 4 Natsu Vs Gajeel

Sweet Dreams

Chapter 4

Natsu Vs Gajeel

Lucy sat next to the panting dragon slayer laying in her bed. Beads of sweat formed on his brow and his eyes were held tightly shut. Occasional mumbles would come from his lips but she couldn't understand what he was saying. He seemed to be in a lot of pain but there was nothing that she could do. Wendy had done all she could but it wouldn't help him with getting better. This was something he was just going to have to live with until it finally passed.

"Have you ate?" A deep voice asked from behind the worried blond. She turned with saddened eyes towards the ice mage who had joined her not long ago. Lucy shook her head, finding it hard to use her voice. Why should she eat when her best friend laid there in so much pain?

Gray stood up and walked off. She could hear the sounds of pots and pans moving around in the kitchen but paid no attention. All her attention was on Natsu. His usually tan skin had lost it's glow and was now pale. It was hard to believe that this was something that a dragon slayer had to go through. And that eventually Wendy would fall ill as well.

Not to long after Gray walked to the kitchen, a delicious smell filled her apartment before he reemerged holding a tray of food in his hands. Lucy gave him the best smile she could manage as he walked towards her and handed it over.

"If you plan to take care of him, you have to take care of yourself as well." She nodded and thanked him. As she ate, she found herself surprised at the cooking skills that Gray possessed. Everything was rather delicious and filling. "Are you going to tell him when he wakes up?"

Lucy turned towards the dark haired man, confusion written all over her face. She wasn't sure what he was talking about.

"Come on Lucy, everyone can see it. How you feel for that idiot." Lucy's eyes widened before her surprise was replaced with a smile.

"Is it that obvious?"

"Yes. To everyone but him." She chuckled lightly as she stared at the man that she had grown to love over her time spent here at Fairy Tail. She reached forward and removed the wash cloth from his face and wetting it in the cool water before returning it. Her hand lingered on his face as she gazed down at him.

"Yes, I'll tell him. Whenever he finally feels better."

* * *

"Let's go Gajeel, I'm all fired up!" Natsu charge forward using his fire around his feet to accelerate. Gajeel smirked at Natsu and quickly dodged the oncoming attack. Turning his arm into iron, Gajeel extended it and aimed for Natsu. He flipped to avoid it and skidded to a stop a few feet away, returning the smirk that Gajeel had. "This is going to be fun."

Gajeel charged forward, jumping up at the last minute to land a punch on Natsu. Natsu blocked before sending a fiery kick to Gajeel's side. The man flew to the side but quickly jumped back up. His hand began to change shape once more but this time into a sword as Gajeel's laughter echoed through out the room. He flew forward aiming a strike at Natsu he moved to the side and retaliated with a punch. Gajeel jumped away, still holding the same smirk as before. His hand that hadn't changed was now holding a throwing knife as he threw it into the air and caught it, continuing the process several times.

Gajeel ran forward once more, his sword swung towards Natsu who jumped and landed on top of his blade. Gajeel seemed surprised for a moment before using the knife to swipe at Natsu. He jumped back and just barely managed to dodge the knife but was still cut across the chest. Natsu grabbed at the cut and looked down at it. It wasn't that deep so he knew he would be fine.

"Not so tough, are you Salamander?" Gajeel snickered. Natsu scoffed at the pierced mans words. They meant nothing to him, actions proved things much better in his opinion and he beat this freak once before, he could do it again.

This time Natsu moved first and in a flash, Natsu's fist made contact with Gajeel's cheek and he flew backwards, crashing into the wall on the other side. Gajeel climbed out of the rubble as a trail of blood ran down his left leg. Natsu breathed in deep, his cheeks puffed out as his eyes began to turn for his normal onyx and became almost a forest green.

"Fire dragons roar!" His fire started to spiral towards the dark haired mage. Gajeel followed suit and sent his own dragons roar to combat the fiery one coming his way. The waves clashed and battled each others before exploded and sending both dragon slayers back.

They both stood and glared at the other. A green magic circle formed under Gajeel's feet as his skin took on the look of iron scales. Natsu remembered this move well. This complicates things but he managed to break through it last time. He would do the same this time.

Natsu's fire grew, eventually surrounding his entire body. His pink hair swayed and stood out against the red embers of his flames. His vest flew open and the ties on his pants swirled in his flames.

"Now we're talking! It's about time you get serious!"

They launched forward at the same time, their fists colliding with the others. Attack after attack was thrown at one another. Some were dodged, some blocked while others hit their mark. Natsu threw a hard right hook at Gajeel causing him to skid backwards. The iron mage wiped the blood running down from his lip and laughed once more.

The two were panting as the stared at one another, waiting for the other to move. When Natsu didn't, Gajeel formed another throwing knife in his hand and tossed it towards Natsu. He ran to avoid as Gajeel kept throwing them in steady succession. They missed Natsu as he ran and stabbed into the wall behind him. Natsu quickly changed his direction and headed towards Gajeel, his fist once more connecting with the mans face before Natsu followed it with a punch to Gajeel's gut.

Natsu's fists were bruised and bloody from all the hits against Gajeel's thick iron skin. He paid no attention to the pain they were in and continued to attack. Another hit to Gajeel's face followed by another kick. Gajeel once more flew to the side and smashed into the pile of rubble he was sitting on when Natsu first walked in. Natsu's flames just kept increasing, growing hotter and hotter by the second. Gajeel stood back up, panting heavily while holding onto his arm.

Gajeel looked at Natsu, surprised to see him look as if nothing was effecting him. No matter how matter times Gajeel hit him, he just got back up like it meant nothing. As if it didn't hurt in the slightest. Gajeel chuckled at the irony of the fact that even with his skin, he was still get beaten.

He had to do something, if he wanted to win this. Gajeel stood up straight before launching himself into the air once more. Natsu watched the iron dragon slayer, waiting to see what he was doing.

"Dragon slayer secret art! Iron spiral!" Gajeel's legs began to spin and formed into a drill that launched towards Natsu. Natsu flipped backwards, just barely avoiding the oncoming attack. Natsu pulled his hands up once more as their flames increased.

"Fire dragons brilliant flame!" His brought his hands together, the impact causing an explosion and sent both dragon slayers flying backwards. Natsu stuck his landing several feet away and waited for the dust to settle.

Once the air cleared, Natsu looked around to see Gajeel laying in another pile of rubble, not moving. Natsu walked forward, the dark haired man sat there with his eyes closed, his chest heaving with every breath. His skin returned to normal along with his legs and arms. Natsu put out his flames, knowing that this fight was finished.

"Your stronger than you look." Gajeel panted out. He was wore out but enjoyed the fight. Natsu's eyes returned to normal as his usual smile appeared on his face.

"You as well. Now, what do I have to do next?" Gajeel rose his arm, pointing at a set of large blue double doors with intricate wave patterns on them. Natsu nodded before looking over the beaten guildmate one last time. He wasn't that bad, we would be fine soon.

Natsu advanced and opened the large doors to see a sandy beach and a large ocean. He could smell the salt water and the sun felt amazing. It felt like it's been years since he's been in the sun. First the ice queens place where no sun could be seen from above, then the bookworms library that barely had any light except a small lacrima above the table and then to Gajeel's hell hole of a building. This was definitely a welcomed change of pace.

He laughed and ran out and towards the ocean. The water looked so nice right about now and he would be able to wash off the dirt from the previous battles. Upon entering the water, he felt something strange but couldn't place it. He proceeded to wash off all the dirt as he sighed. The water felt amazing and the sun was like a breath of fresh air. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do in this place but he was sure that he would find out sooner or later.

After he finished washing off, he went to walk out of the water when he found that he couldn't move. It felt as if someone was holding him in place. He tried his best to pry his feet loose but it wasn't working. A face began to appear in the water, a devilish smirk on their face. Natsu realized that he had walked right into a trap. And this was one that wouldn't be so easy to get out of.


	5. Chapter 5 Two crazy girls

Sweet Dreams

Chapter 5

Two crazy girls

Natsu stood out in the ocean, unable to move. The face that appeared on the surface of the water smirked evilly at him.

"You shall not pass! Juvia will make Gray-sama proud!" The water began to pull together as a figure grew out of the water. Her body started out as the same clear blue as the ocean and was now beginning to solidify. Her body took shape as her clothes formed around her and the natural pale color of her skin finally returned to her features.

"Gray? I already beat that pervert." Natsu mostly said to himself, growing bored of waiting for Juvia's dramatic change to end. He watched as the evil smirk left the blue haired woman's face and it was replaced with a horrified expression. Juvia was having trouble believing that Natsu was able to beat Gray and then get this far.

"No! Gray-sama would never be beaten! You must have cheated! What did you do to Gray-sama?" What is with people accusing him of cheating? Is it that unbelievable that he could make it this far?

"What do I have to do to pass you?" Natsu asked.

"You have to beat Juvia in battle but Juvia will not let that happen. You shall not free Juvia's love rival so that she can steal Gray-sama away from me! As long as she stays locked up there, she can not go near Gray-sama!" Natsu looked at her for a moment.

"Pfft! Lucy...and Gray...that's funny!" Juvia's face began to turn red in anger as she watched the dragon slayer laughing hysterically while clutching his gut.

"Why are you laughing? Are you saying that Gray-sama is unworthy of Lucy?" She retorted, a scowl forming on her pale features. Natsu shook his head but was unable to contain the laughter that passed through his lips.

"Wouldn't it be easier for Lucy and Gray to see each other if she is locked in that tower? He can go and see her whenever he wants." Natsu's laughter finally died out and he immediately turned serious. Juvia's angered expression fell as the realization hit her. He was right. As long as she was so close by, then she could see Gray whenever she wanted.

"Oh no! Juvia did not realize this! What should Juvia do?" She clutched at her head as her eyes became spirals. She was so confused she was making herself dizzy.

"I couldn't care less, but if you let me pass then I will take Lucy away and you wont have to worry about her anymore." Natsu didn't understand what he was saying but something told him that it was the right thing to say. And he never ignored his instincts, they have yet to let him down.

"Yes, Juvia thinks you are right. You may pass so that Juvia can go and take care of Gray-sama in his time of need!" Her eyes became hearts as she walked towards the direction that Natsu came from. She imagined herself healing the injured Gray while he slept and once he woke up, he would thank her graciously and confess his love for her. She squealed and quickened her pace.

"Well that was easy." Natsu shook his head as he watched Juvia retreat through the door he came from. What a weirdo, he thought, but not as weird as Lucy. "Yosh! Another one down. Now onto the next." Natsu turned around the see a fuchsia door with lovely white designs that traveled up it's length.

He gripped the silver handle and pushed the thick door open. The smell of alcohol attacked his senses and he entered into the dimly lit room. His eyes widened when he realized that he was at the guild, but something was off. No one was around. He approached the bar, looking every which way for a sign of someone. The sound of heels clicking against the wooden floor could be heard heading his way.

He waited as the tension began to rise. Who was coming this way? He couldn't smell them over the alcohol that lingered in the air. Why was that smell so strong when there was no one here? Everything about this seemed strange to him. Someone came out from behind the doorway. Natsu's eyes widened and a chill ran down his spine.

"D-demon M-M-Mirajane!" Natsu began to tremble as the demonic form of the barmaid he knew so well came closer. The smirk on her face and the look in her eyes told him that she had plans for him. "Opps, I just remembered that I ah...forgot to turn off the stove...gotta go! Bye!" Natsu turned around and ran for the guild doors. He was almost there, just another foot and he would be home free.

"Is Lucy worth so little to you?" Mirajane's voice was low, yet he had heard her. He stopped in his tracks, his fingers inches from the door. "And here I thought that the famous Salamander never gave up." He knew that she was trying to get a rise out of him but she was right. Why was he running when his best friend was in danger? He turned around and glared at the demon in front of him.

Her beautiful hair that normally hung down her back flowing in soft waves like a silver ocean, now stood straight up. Her once kind and dazzling blue eyes were now intimidating. Everything about her screamed fear, from the chilling black scar that ran down her face to the large black wings and long razor-like tail.

Natsu was confused. He wasn't sure why he had the urge to flee when he had always wanted to fight against the powerful demon Mirajane. He had asked her time and time again to fight but she always denied. But what was so different about this time? Why would he be so frightened of the girl in front of him when he has seen her in this form before?

Mirajane watched the change in his eyes. The fear quickly left and was replaced with determination. She smirked, yes this is what she wanted.

"Tell me dragon slayer, why do you seek out the princess?" Another one that speaks of Lucy like that? The guild must have been put under some sort of spell or something if they all think of her like that. Lucy is far from a princess in Natsu's eyes. She's just Lucy.

"She is my best friend, of course I would go and save her!" Natsu replied.

"Hm, really? Then why did you attempt to run just now?" Natsu opened his mouth as if to speak but no words came out. He wasn't ever sure himself why he wanted to run. Just that his instincts told him he should. As if something would happen during this battle that would change him. "Are you afraid? Afraid of losing? Or are you afraid of winning?"

"Why would I be afraid of winning?"

"Because passing this stage does not require you to just beat me." Natsu's brow furrowed, what was she talking about?

"What do I have to do?"

"It's not something that you have to physically do. I have to grant you permission when you prove that you are worthy." Suddenly she launched forward, her wings giving her flight before she her leg came crashing down towards him. He barely managed to dodge before he foot hit the spot he was just standing. Her foot smashed through the wooden floor as bits of wood flew around her. Her cold blue eyes turned to him and she smirked once more.

"Worthy of what?!" Natsu shouted as he flipped backwards to avoid her fist. She was serious, and Natsu found himself nervous. Once more, it wasn't about the fight though, it was about what he had to do to prove himself to her. And whatever that look meant that Mirajane held in her eyes.

"You shall see soon enough." Once more she raced forward, aiming punches towards the dragon slayers face. He was having trouble keeping up with her speed, her attacks were hard to avoid. She leaned to the side, standing on one leg while she spun and her legs rammed Natsu in the side. He flew to the left, smashing into several tables along the way.

He threw off the table that was on top of him and stood up. His flames began to climb up his fists and around his arms. He charged for Mirajane, pushing her back as she avoided each of his attacks. Suddenly she grabbed his fist and with one arm she threw him across the guild. He slammed into the bar and coughed as the air was pushed from his lungs.

"Why do you wish to rescue her? She is safe among friends who wish her no harm. She is cared for and protected. Why take her from away from that?" Mira picked up the fire mage by his collar, her blue eyes glaring in his onyx ones. She threw him into the air and kicked him to the side. Natsu climbed from the wreckage of tables and chairs as he panted heavily.

"Lucy loves her freedom! She would hate to be confined to one place no matter who was doing it! All you are doing is holding her hostage!" His cheeks expanded as his lungs filled with the surrounding air. His hands cupped his lips as fire spewed from his lips and towards Mirajane. She flew up to avoid the hit but the flames were too fast as they began to scorch her legs.

She shrieked and looked down at the destroyed boots. A growl escaped her lips before she returned to glaring at Natsu. She flew towards him, too fast for Natsu to avoid. She grabbed him up and flew towards the ceiling. With great force the silver haired beauty threw him back down and through the wooden floor. Upon impact, he coughed as blood escaped his lips leaving a trail running down his chin.

"The princess needs to be protected from people like you! People who would carelessly hurt her!" She flew down towards Natsu and her heel jammed into his gut. He coughed up more blood with each hit to his stomach. Her foot pulled back before she pushed it forwards once more. Natsu's hand reached up, stopping the last kick before it connected.

"I would never hurt her!" He pushed her foot, causing he to fly back several feet. "She is my partner, my best friend! I protect her!" He was now standing as a fire began to grow in his eyes. He was not going to let people accuse him of hurting Lucy. He wouldn't let anyone hurt her let alone himself.

"Is that all she is to you? Your partner and best friend?"

"She is my _nakama, _and I _will _save her!" He launched forward using his flames to accelerate. His fist collided with Mirajane as she flew back and managed to land on her feet. She wiped away the blood running from her lip. She smirked.

"Are you sure that your reasoning behind always wanting to protect her is just because she in your _nakama?"_ Natsu threw another punch towards her but she dodged causing him to hit wall that was behind her. Natsu growled as he pulled his fist free. A few streak of crimson dripped from his knuckles.

"I want to protect all of my nakama!" This time Mirajane was the one that attacked first. Her uppercut was shoved into Natsu's gut as more blood began to drip from his lips. She followed the attack with her tail smashing down onto his back causing him to crash onto the floor.

"Don't you treat her a little different? Aren't you more protective of her than others?" She towered over him as he struggled to lift himself from the floor. He was panting of clutching at his side. He was certain that one of his ribs were broken.

"Why does it matter if I am more protective of her? She is my best friend!" Natsu managed to stand but was using his knees for support. He had taken one too many hits to the stomach and he felt like he couldn't stand straight.

"Why do you feel that way? Is it because you think of her as weak?" Mirajane continued to speak calmly to him, as if they weren't in the middle of a life threatening battle. Natsu all the while was finding himself more and more confused by the second. Not to mention the aggravation that was building.

"Of course not! Lucy is one of the strongest people I know!" His voice was steadily rising with each question that the demon asked. In the blink of an eye, Mirajane was standing directly in front of him. Her knee flew up and slammed into his chin pushing Natsu back onto the ground. Natsu's hand covered his busted lips as his head began to pound.

"Then why are you so protective of her? If she is as strong as you say then she wouldn't need your protection."

Natsu's eyes widened and his mouth hung open. The metallic taste lingered in his mouth but he ignored it. Why was he so protective of her? It was true, she was far stronger than she let on, so why would she need him to always look out for her? Why did he always feel the need to prevent her from getting hurt at all costs?

"Have you realized it yet?" Mirajane's voice was much softer as she looked down at the bloody and bruised dragon slayer. His eyes met hers.

"Realize what?"

"Well, I guess I was hoping for too much by thinking like that. But from what I see, you have passed the test. Congratulations Natsu. You are one step closer to claiming the princess." She smiled at him as deep purple blocks began to form around her. They covered her completely before disappearing and leaving behind the Mirajane that they knew so well. She helped him to his feet before patting his shoulder with a smile.

A door appeared behind the bar but Natsu paid no attention. His eyes remained focused on Mirajane who turned to walk away from him.

"I don't get it. How did I pass? What did I do to prove I was worthy?" She looked back at him over her shoulders, her gentle eyes sparkled at him as a warm smile claimed her lips.

"You may not have yet realized what you are feeling but I was able to instill the doubt in your mind. I made you question your reasons behind protecting her so fiercely. That is enough, at least for now." Her head turned back around before she faded away, right in front of his eyes.

He sighed. He would never understand girls and their crazy ways of thinking. He turned towards the bar to finally notice the large white door that stood there. Large blue flowers covered the door as he approached. He wondered what would possibly be next on this crazy mission to rescue his best friend. But he would keep progressing, no matter what it takes, he will win and save Lucy!


	6. Chapter 6 Replenish

Sweet Dreams

Chapter 6

Replenish

Lucy was beginning to get worried. It has been three days and Natsu showed no signs of improvement. No matter how much Gajeel told her that this was to be expected, she couldn't stop the worry from building. She could have sworn on several occasions that she heard her name pass through his cracked lips. She would find herself wondering what he could be dreaming of, but would brush it away assuming that it was more than likely of them on a mission or him pigging out. That was just Natsu. Eating and fighting were his two favorite things to do.

Several of the guild members had stopped by all checking in to make sure that both the dragon slayer and the spirit mage were alright. But Gray, Wendy and Erza came over the most. Gray would force her to eat while Erza would comfort the blond and assure her that things were going to be okay. Wendy would constantly keep trying to relieve the pain that Natsu was feeling, wishing that she could do more.

Cana had stopped by twice and on each occasion she tried to get Lucy to drink claiming that it would calm her nerves and help her cope. Each time the blond politely declined but she liked having Cana around. She was always one to make her laugh. Mirajane would come and go, sometimes with her siblings and sometimes by herself. Most of the time she would find fun in teasing the blond to try and lighten the mood but once she would leave, Lucy would find herself worried once more.

Levy stopped by often as well, constantly dropping off books and such for Lucy to stay occupied. Most of the time, Gajeel followed right behind her. Lucy smiled each time and told all her friends that she was fine but she couldn't deny the fear that was slowly growing inside her. The idea of losing her best friend and the one she loves was something she never wanted to go through. And the fear would not leave her no matter what the others say. She wouldn't be able to truly believe until Natsu woke up from his slumber and gave her that grin that she loved so much.

* * *

Natsu swung open the large white door with blue flowers to find himself in a meadow. Lush green grass carpeted the hills and was surrounded by large oak trees. The air smell amazing and he found himself drawn towards the largest hill. The sun was shining bright in the clear blue sky. Not a cloud in sight. He reached the top of the hill to see a flower patch on the other side.

Blue, yellow, red, pink, and every color you could think of was here. Flowers in all different shapes and sizes. He could smell their sweet floral scent. This was a drastic change to all of the scenery he has seen so far. A nice one at that. He laid himself down among the yellow patch of flowers and for some reason, they reminded him of Lucy. They were so pretty and delicate. Their scent was the best out of all the others and it was yellow, just like Lucy's hair.

"Natsu-san?" Natsu sat up and spun around to see one of the few people he least expected to find himself up against. Her long blue hair swayed in the light breeze as a smile adorned her face. Her deep brown eyes looked him over, scanning the injuries that covered his body. He wouldn't admit it out loud but Mirajane had really done a number on him.

If you count that with all the battles he has fought previously, he was really exhausted. Natsu couldn't help but notice that even Wendy was wearing something unusual. Her long blue hair was tied up in a long pony tail using a gold ribbon with her bangs all pulled to one side. She wore a golden dress that reached her knees with deep blue flats. There was a ribbon tied around her waist that matched her shoes and was topped with a pair of deep blue gloves.

"Hey Wendy." Natsu greeted. He laid himself back down, internally hoping that he did not have to fight the small dragon slayer. She was like a little sister to him and he would rather avoid having to hurt her. She stepped forward and sat herself next to the fire mage. She smiled at him and removed the gloves from her tiny hands.

She extended her hands over the pink haired man as a blue light engulfed him. He could feel the warmth of her magic spreading over him and immediately starting to work on repairing the damage from the past battles. Slowly his scrapes and bruises began to fade along with the pain in his head and ribs. After a few moments, she pulled away as she panted lightly.

"All done." She chirped and smiled widely at him. He returned her grin with one of his own as he looked over himself. He felt a lot better and he even felt re-energized.

"Thanks Wendy." She stood up and told Natsu to wait there as she walked off into the trees. He watched her as she go, knowing that she would fine. Something about this place was simply relaxing and had a calming effect on him. The breeze blew over the hills, swaying the flowers and making Natsu sigh in content.

After a few more minutes, the air dragon slayer returned carrying a bucket with her. He could hear the swishing of the liquid inside it and smell the clean water from where he was. He sat up and allowed Wendy to remove a wash cloth from the liquid and began to wipe the blood from the side of his face. Once finished, Wendy put all the cleaning supplies to the side and smiled at Natsu once more. Her mouth opened as if to say something but she was interrupted by a loud growling sound.

Both Wendy and Natsu laughed as he clutched his growling stomach. He sure was hungry. Wendy helped him stand and let him follow her into the woods. Walking through the thick trees they found a small path that led to a tiny cabin. The dark wood that this home consisted of made it seem like it belonged here. As if it too were a part of nature. Wendy opened the small but heavy door and walked into a tiny kitchen.

Inside was everything a normal kitchen would have except half the size. As if it were all made for Wendy. She giggled as she watched Natsu's reaction to the tiny home. If he was even an inch taller than he would have to bend over to be able to stand. She told him to sit at the table not far away and he did as told. She poured him a glass of the same kind of water she cleaned him up with. He gulped down the deliciously sweet water and couldn't help but wonder what kind of water this was.

It soothed his dry and scratchy throat as it went down and coated his stomach, temporarily stopping the noises it was giving off. Soon the delicious smells of food cooking filled the room as he found his mouth watering. It felt as if it had been days since he had a meal and he was excited. The blue haired girl turned around while carrying a plateful of chicken. She placed it in front of him before lighting it on fire causing Natsu's eyes to light up.

He immediately dug in, savoring the flavors as they passed over his taste buds. From the water to the food, they each seemed as if created by magic. He had never tasted fire chicken or water so delicious and that's not including the fire itself. He couldn't describe the taste of it. He found that this little amount of food seemed to fill him as he rubbed his expanded belly with a sigh.

He thanked the blue haired girl graciously who giggled in response. She enjoyed watching as he ate all the food and he seemed really happy. She was overjoyed when she noticed that the door to her stage had opened. She knew that Natsu could do it. He was so strong already and then when you put one of his friends in danger, it only added to the strength he possessed. Wendy and Natsu walked out of the tiny cabin and she led him back to the clearing where they were originally.

"So, is this all Wendy? I don't have to fight you or anything do I?" Natsu rubbed the back of his neck as he asked. Wendy giggled once more but shook her head.

"No Natsu-san. This was more of a break for you. Giving you a chance to heal and refuel. You have a lot more battles ahead of you and this was needed to ensure your success." Natsu nodded, knowing that what she said was true and happy that he was allowed to have this. He felt so much better already.

"Natsu, continue on your journey for the princess. She is waiting for you and only you. No one else can get to her. Never give up on her for your bond is strong and will only strengthen with time. I have faith in you, and I know that you will be able to claim the princess as yours in the end." She smiled at him before waving then walking in the direction of the cabin. Natsu stood there watching her, curious to what she said. Claim Lucy as his? What could she have meant by that? Isn't she already his? She is his best friend.

Natsu turned his head to see another door not far from him. It was a shocking shade of yellow with a black knob and black lightning bolts formed across it. He quirked a brow as he realized that this could only mean one person. With a smirk crossing his lips, he walked forward and grasped the cold metal of the handle. Turning it, he pushed the door in and it opened with a squeak.

The door opened to reveal a large white room with huge pillars on each side. A long black carpet flowed down the middle of the pillars and lead to a set of white marble stairs where a man was sitting. His head lifted and he smirked at the entering dragon slayer. Natsu returned the smirk, he was waiting for something like this. He has been wanting to fight him on level ground for a long time now.

"Laxus."

"It's so nice to see you again Natsu. I was starting to think you weren't going to make it." The blond teased. Natsu narrowed his eyes. Laxus stood up and threw off his long dark blue coat. It fluttered to the floor several feet away. Natsu looked at Laxus to see him wearing a gold shirt with deep blue pants and black shoes. His normal headphones still covered his ears but there was some sort of writing on the side of them in gold lettering. The pink haired mage couldn't see what the letters spelled out but ignored it anyway.

"Are you ready Natsu? Because I won't let you pass like the others did. This is where it all ends."


	7. Chapter 7 Strange emotions

Sweet Dreams

Chapter 7

Strange Emotions

"That's what you think Laxus." Natsu propelled himself forward and aimed a fiery punch towards the blond. Laxus dodged easily and sent a bolt of lightning towards the fire mage. Natsu moved to the side and avoided the attack before countering with a kick. Laxus used his arm to block before punching Natsu. He flew back several feet and banged against one of the pillars.

Climbing back up onto his feet, Natsu smirked. Oh yes, he was definitely looking forward to this. Natsu charged forward once more only for Laxus to side step and Natsu slid to a stop. He began to turn only to be sent flying with a kick from the buff man. Natsu growled before he stood up and raced forward once more.

He threw punch after punch as Laxus easily dodged all the while the blond wore a smirk upon his face. His smile only increased the frustration Natsu was beginning to feel as he threw another kick towards the lightning mage. Once more Laxus avoided it. Natsu screeched as a shock of lightning passed through him.

Small streams of smoke rose for the fire mage as his flames increased. Again Natsu launched himself forward and threw another set of attacks towards his fellow dragon slayer. Natsu threw another flaming fist towards the blond before Laxus grabbed onto his arm and flipped Natsu over him. The pink haired man smashed into the marble floor causing a deep crack to form under him.

"Is this all you got?" Laxus's laughter echoed throughout the hall as his muscle clad chest heaved with each deep breath. "This is the mighty dragon slayer who wants to free the princess?" More laughter resounded throughout the room as Natsu scowled.

"I will win, just watch!" Natsu began to charge forward before more lightning shot through him. He screamed in pain as the electricity sparked here and there on his body. Natsu fell to his knees as more smoke came from him. His muscles twitched from the shock and sweat formed on his brow. He never imagined that fighting Laxus would be tougher than fighting Mirajane. He hasn't been able to land a single hit.

"I'm going to make this quick. Once you're finished then I think I might go and claim her for myself." Once more Laxus was laughing boisterously. Natsu staggered in his attack, caught off guard by the mans words. What would he want Lucy for? In his daze, his mind was filled with questions and an unknown emotion began to form in his chest. Not paying any attention to the fight, Laxus took his chance and swung at Natsu. The fire mage shot through the air and smacked into the wall across the room.

"You of all people should know better than to get distracted during a fight." Laxus was messing with Natsu. Here the pinkette was trying his best to win while Laxus hadn't even broken a sweat. Natsu rose once more to his feet, swaying slightly in his spot. His deep charcoal eyes narrowed at the lightning mage.

"What do you want with Lucy?" Natsu's mind began replaying everything that has happened and all that was said to him. The first image was during his test with Levy, the words that spewed from his own mouth before he even realized what he was saying. And even though he knew that all of it was true, he never once gave any thought to the fact that she was beautiful. Did he really see her like that? How hadn't he noticed before? He knew Lucy was special, he knew she was a great person. Albeit weird though but that wasn't a bad thing either. It just made her that much more interesting.

"Are you really that stupid? I will make her my woman." This time Laxus charged forward causing Natsu to duck, just barely avoiding the attack. Natsu sent a swift uppercut to the blonds gut and he stumbled backwards. Natsu smirked, it was about time that he managed to land a hit. "Don't get cocky, that won't happen again."

Laxus raced forward as his elbow smashed into Natsu's face. Blood began to pour from his nose as the crimson liquid fell to the pure white marble floor. Laxus shot a kick towards Natsu and smacked into his ribs. The boy flew across the room and crashed into another pillar but this time the pillar gave way causing it to come crashing down. Natsu ran fast, avoiding the white pieces of marble that were falling.

"What do you mean make her your woman? Lucy belongs to no one! Especially not some prick like you!" The anger began to grow inside Natsu once more as he flew at Laxus. "Fire dragon's iron fist!" The flame clad fist landed on Laxus's jaw and he flew back. Laxus rubbed his cheek before spitting out blood onto the floor. Another smirk crossed the blonds features causing Natsu's anger to increase.

"Is that jealousy I hear?" The man snickered. Laxus then changed his body into the form of his bright yellow lightning and Natsu lost sight of him. Laxus attacked from the rear as Natsu once more fell to his knees. A cough escaped his lips as more blood came out. Natsu had once again lost sight of the lightning mage before receiving a kick from the side that sent him soaring through the air. He smashed into the wall before trying to pick himself up.

"Tch, jealous? Of you? In your dreams." Laxus launched forward once more, his body in the form of his magic. This time Natsu had anticipated this attack and managed to dodge before Laxus landed the hit. Before Laxus could counter Natsu raced forward and grabbed a hold of him. The fire grew around his hands, burning Laxus where ever Natsu touched.

"Fire dragon's wing attack!" His fire took on the form of dragon wings as Natsu lifted the buff man off his feet. His fire engulfed Laxus before he threw him causing him to crash against the wall. Laxus stood up, his eyes narrowed at the pinkette. Laxus lifted his arms and stretched them out in front of him. With his palms facing Natsu a sphere of lightning began to form around his tattooed arms.

"Thunder bullets!" Small bullet sized bolts of lightning shot towards Natsu who ran to the side as he avoided being hit. Each bullet smashed into the wall as they missed and the building began to rumble. The wall began to fall as a cloud of smoke filtered throughout the room. Natsu was panting heavily as he waited for the smoke to clear. The fallen wall revealed a desert like terrain with the burning midday sun high in the sky. The smoke finally cleared as they glared at one another.

Both males began to suck in the air around them, their cheeks expanding. Natsu's eye began to change from the dark onyx to a deep forest green as his magic began to form. His hands cupped his mouths as he readied to launch his attack.

"Fire dragon's roar!"

"Lightning dragon's roar!"

Both roars collided, each battling against each other in a fight of power. Natsu's red flames continuously smacked against Laxus's lightning before they exploded. The force from the explosion sent the two mages flying. Laxus smashed into the wall while Natsu flew out into the sandy desert. He could feel the heat of the sand against his skin as he pushed himself to his feet. Laxus stumbled out of the building and glared at Natsu.

"This is quickly starting to get on my nerves. Stupid gramps and his stupid orders." He mumbled under his breath but Natsu still heard. He furrowed his pink brows together as he look on in confusion. What the hell was he talking about.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Natsu asked. He was exhausted but couldn't stop now. He has fought too long and too hard to quit. Besides, if Lucy is in trouble he would never just quit on her. She needed him and he will save her. He was still unsure why the need to protect her was so strong within himself but it seemed to only grow with time. He would watch as she became stronger and stronger but even with that, he still wanted, no _needed _to protect her. To save her at all costs.

"Damn you are such an idiot. I didn't want to do this in the first place but stupid gramps had to make it an order." The two just stood there staring at each other. Neither moving nor attacking. Natsu began to wonder why this seemed to get more and more confusing with each test he had to pass. Not only did Levy make him began to question what he thought of Lucy then Mirajane had to go and make him doubt his reasons for wanting to protect her. As if he needed a reason for protecting his nakama.

But was that all she really was to him? Yes, of course! Why was he asking himself something like that? Natsu's fists gripped at his pink spikes as his head began to spin. Everything is just so confusing right now and no one will give him a straight answer. He groaned in frustration as Laxus watched him. The blond quirked an eyebrow at the fire mage as he began pacing back and forth, kicking up sand as he went. Incoherent mumbles could be heard coming from the pinkette but they sounded like nothing but gibberish.

"What the hell are you doing?" Laxus finally asked after watching the mage battle with himself internally over who knows what.

"Dammit! My head hurts!" Laxus flinched at Natsu's sudden outburst before he started to laugh. His laughter caught the attention of the boy who turned to him with the same confused look as earlier. "What are you laughing at?!" Natsu spat at the blond.

"You! Maybe I should steal the princess away from you since you're too dense to figure shit out on your own!" Natsu stopped his pacing and quickly walked towards Laxus. He grasped the blond by his collar and glared deep into his bluish green eyes. Laxus had realized exactly what Natsu's problem was and couldn't help but find it entertaining.

"Say that again asshole." Natsu growled.

"I said that maybe I should steal her awa-" Before Laxus could finish his sentence, Natsu punched him across the jaw. The lightning mage landed several feet away as sand began to enter his mouth. His spit it out several times, trying to rid himself of the dry substance.

"You will _not_ be taking Lucy anywhere!" Laxus was surprised to hear that Natsu wasn't upset about the dense comment and actually smirked to his opponent. Laxus stood up and crossed his large arms.

"Why is that? Are you going to claim her all to yourself?" Laxus was enjoying the torment of his fellow guildmate. The more confused he became the more upset he got.

"It's not like that!" Natsu retorted. His hands were balled tightly into fists that trembled at his sides. The sun continuously beat down on them and the lack of moisture in the air made it hard to breath.

"Oh really? What is it like then?" Natsu's mouth hung open as if to speak but no words came out. Once more he found himself stumped on an answer. "What do you want with the princess? If you already have such a close friendship with her as you claim then what else could you want from her? At least I know the answer to that, unlike you. I know how to treat a lady, please her in just the right ways."

Laxus was clearly amused with the situation and just trying to anger the fire mage but Natsu didn't notice. He was reacting the exact way Laxus had wanted. A dragon-like roar ripped through Natsu's lips before he his flames surrounded him. They steadily increased in amount, the heat from them only adding to the heat in the desert. Natsu's arms outstretched, each raised at his side. His now deep green eyes filled with aggression he had kept contained. Laxus's eyes widened when he realized what Natsu was doing.

The fire continuously increased in volume. "Dragon slayers secret art. Crimson lotus, exploding flame blade!" His fire took on the shape of swords as Natsu twisted his body causing the flames to spiral towards Laxus. The flames blazed their way towards Laxus and completely engulfed him. The blond was sent flying backwards and landed roughly on the sand.

Laxus couldn't find the strength to stand and was surprised by Natsu's move. He didn't think he upset him that much. Natsu on the other hand, was furious. He couldn't figure out his own feelings and everyone around him acted like it was the most obvious thing in the world. As if he was an idiot for not figuring things out quicker. How could he when no one would answer his questions? They would all reply in some round about way that would make his head hurt worse.

And he couldn't help the rage that built up inside him when Laxus spoke of Lucy in such a way. It sickened him on so many levels that even he didn't fully understand it. Natsu's flames dispersed once he noticed that Laxus wasn't getting up. A heavy sigh escaped his lips before he threw himself back onto the sand. His chest heaved with each breath and he was utterly exhausted. The worst he has been so far. Laxus was a real challenge and even if he only ended up being more confused than before, he couldn't deny the fact that he enjoyed the fight.

"Looks like you win this time. Don't think that it will end the same way next time." Natsu smirked. Another level down and who knows how many more were left. After finally catching his breath, he pushed himself to his feet and dusted off his clothes. They were steadily getting worse with each fight and pretty soon he would have to find something else to wear or he would end up like that perverted stripper. After glancing around Natsu's eyes landed upon the next door.

He approached the dark wood that had pictures of what looked like people celebrating carved into the wood. A large group stood around and held up large beer mugs filled to the rim as they partied. The closer he got the more the scent of alcohol increased. But not just beer this time like with Mirajane. This time he could smell liquor and maybe even wine mixed in with it.

He gripped onto the brass handle and twisted the cool metal in his hand. The door swung open and he entered into the foul smelling place. It reeked so heavily of alcohol that Natsu thought he would get drunk just from breathing it in.

"Tch, it's about time you showed up. I was getting really bored here waiting."


	8. Chapter 8 Words from a drunkard

Sweet Dreams

Chapter 8

Words from a drunkard

"Cana?" Natsu's voice was full of surprise as he looked at the card mage sitting at an unknown bar. Her butt was propped up on the counter made of dark wood while her feet were sprawled out across the maroon bar stool. A large keg sat between her legs as she held onto it like her life depended on it.

There was no one else in this mysterious bar, all the tables and chairs were empty. There was music playing a fast and steady beat but it was low enough to be able to talk over and he wasn't sure where it was coming from. Empty mugs and barrels littered the floor and he didn't have to guess to know who was the cause of that. "Who were you expecting, the boogeyman?" She chuckled lightly before taking another gulp from the barrel between her legs. Natsu stood quite a few feet away, not sure what he was supposed to do.

"What are you waiting for? Take a damn seat." The brunette spat and signaled to the chair near her. Natsu nodded before cautiously walking towards the stool. He wasn't sure of what he was supposed to be doing but since it's Cana, he didn't have to think to hard about it.

A large mug was slammed down in front of him as the golden contents spilled over the sides and onto the wooden bar. He blinked at the mug before turning to the brunette next to him. She had tipped the barrel back once more as slurping sounds came from her lips. He watched as a small stream of it's contents flowed from the corner of her mouth and ran down her neck. She slammed the barrel back down causing his own drink to almost spill over. He quickly grabbed it before shooting a glare over towards the card mage.

"What's the matter with you? Drink up!" She demanded. Her loud voice rang throughout the empty bar and he cringed slightly at the volume. Natsu grabbed the mug by it's glass handle before quickly finishing the contents in one quick go. He had hoped that if he drank quickly that maybe they could get this over with.

"Cana, don't we have to fight or something?" He questioned the brunette. She tossed the empty barrel to the side before reaching for another. At that moment is when Natsu was finally able to see what she was wearing. She wore a deep blue sundress with thin straps that reached to her knees. No shoes were upon her feet, probably from her kicking them off long ago. Her long wavy brown hair was tied back with a gold ribbon as a few bangs fell down and framed her face. "What the hell are you wearing?" Natsu asked, he hasn't seen her wear something like this since she was a child.

"Tch, stupid royalty! Saying what I can and can't wear!" She mumbled not intending to answer his question but it did the job. She looked at him as if just remembering that he was there. Her lavender eyes were dilated showing just how much she has drank. "Did you say something?"

"I asked if we are supposed to fight." Natsu answered, he found this to be quite amusing.

"Uh, it's supposed to be something like that. Damn, I can't remember what the old geezer said." She looked towards the side and looked as if she was trying hard to remember just what she was told. "Fuck it! If you want to pass then you have to beat me in a drinking contest!"

"What?!" Natsu shouted as he shot off the stool causing it to crash onto the floor with a loud bang. No one ever beats Cana, well other than Bacchus, so how were they expecting him to pass? She flinched slightly at his outburst but waved it off. "How am _I_ supposed to beat _you_ at a drinking contest?"

"Flattery will get you everywhere." She slurred with a smirk. He didn't mean it as a complement but it was clear she took it as one. How was he supposed to win at something like this? Yeah he drinks but not like that! How would he be able to save Lucy now? It's clear that he couldn't just beat his way through since the door to the next level only appears once the person allows it. He pulled the stool back up right before slamming down into it with a groan.

"Look, if you can manage to amuse me enough then I might let you pass." His head shot up and towards her, hope flashing through his charcoal eyes. Amuse her? That shouldn't be too hard since he gets Lucy to laugh all the time. With that thought in mind, the image of the said blond appeared in his head. Her brown eyes sparkling with happiness, a large grin across her pink plump lips before she tosses her head back and lets out an angelic laugh. Her golden locks would sway with the movement and reflect the sun- what the hell!

Natsu's pink brow furrowed as he began to wonder where _that_ train of thought came from. When has he ever looked at Lucy like that? Yeah he knew her eyes were brown but sparkling? So what if she had pink lips but were they really plump? And they were only pink because of that crazy sticky stuff she puts on them. And her laugh, what the hell was that? He grabbed at his pink spikes and let out a frustrated growl. When has he ever thought in such a way about anyone let alone his partner?

"What's on your mind pinkie?" The dragon slayers eyes narrowed at the nickname but he choose to ignore it for the moment. He had bigger issues to deal with than a name he was called by a drunken mage. Another mug was slid over the bar to his direction before he grasped the cold glass and chugged it down. He sighed in relief as the beer slid down his throat effectively diminishing the dryness he felt forming.

"I don't know Cana, I'm just confused I guess." He took his own chin between his fingers and let his mind roam over everything that has happened, all that he has been told and what he just thought. Trying to piece it all together wasn't easy for he still had really no clue what the others were talking about.

"Like that's anything new." She chuckled. The pinkette felt his agitation starting to grow when it came to this woman. Was she always this annoying? The brunette once more began to chug from her newest barrel as she waited for him to speak. She could tell that he was struggling internally with something and she had a feeling she knew just what he was thinking.

"It's about Lucy."

"Girl problems ay?" He nodded not fully understanding the implications behind what she asked. Once more, she gave him another drink and he barely paid attention to himself as he drank, too absorbed in thought.

"It's just, everyone has been saying really weird stuff about her recently." She rose a brow at him, curiosity taking over.

"Oh really? Like what?" She asked.

"First, the fact that everyone is referring to her as princess Lucy instead of just Lucy. They even spoke of gramps like he was the king or something. And Gray said something about me coming to steal her away." He paused as he tried to remember what else was said. Cana let his words sink in yet didn't see any reason for that to seem strange.

"Think about it this way fire boy, one she is the princess here, and the old man is the king. Two, are you not doing what Gray said right now? Didn't you come here to battle us and rescue her?"

"That's not the reason I came here. All I know is I was home then suddenly in front of Gray who said that you all took Lucy and locked her up. Of course I would rescue my partner when she is kidnapped and locked away in some tower."

"Okay, well what else was said?" Cana asked, amused by the different expressions that flickered across his face.

"Well Levy began to say stuff about me proving my worth. If I was worthy of Lucy or some weird shit like that. Mirajane said something along those lines as well. She kept questioning me about why I was always trying to protect Lucy. Trying to make it out to seem like I am worse with her than anyone else in the guild." Another beer made it's way into his hands and before he even had a chance to realize it, he had already slugged it down. He pushed the glass over as it clanked with the others, joining them in a steadily growing pile.

Cana watched as he continued to drink away his rational thinking, what little he had, and just continued to keep passing drink after drink towards him. She found it hilarious that he wasn't even paying attention to just how much he was drinking, to stuck in his little dilemma. "But in those words, they caused you to doubt yourself didn't they?" Natsu paused for a moment before sighing with a nod. It was true, he did end up wondering about that. He did realize that he was a little more protective of her than the others but he figured that the reason was because of how close they were. They are partners for fucks sake.

"And then Wendy, she began saying stuff about Lucy waiting for only me. That no one else can get to her, that our bond is strong and will only strengthen with time. But then she said that she had faith in me and that I could claim Lucy as mine in the end." Another drink down and before Natsu knew what was happening, his words began to slur.

"Well, what do you think she meant by that?" The brunette began to hiccup after another chug from the next barrel, her own eyes were now half lidded and she found it a little harder to keep track of what he was saying.

"How the hell am I supposed to know?" The card mage rolled her purple eyes but found that only made her dizzy so decided not to try that again.

"Anything else?"

"Well during the fight with Laxus, he started to talk funny about Lucy. I don't really know what he was saying but I knew that I didn't like it." A burp escaped the dragon slayers lips and his mood seemed to be improving. His smile was back once again and even though they were still discussing the same topic, it didn't seem to effect him in the same way.

"What did he say?" Now this news about Laxus had Cana interested. What did that blond say about Lucy to make him upset?

"Some shit about her being his woman or something. He was another that said about stealing her away and he talked about being dense or something. I'm not sure anymore. And he said something about pleasing girls in the right way." The longer they spoke the harder it became for them to understand each other. Both were swaying in their spots, Cana had at some point thrown off the dress she was wearing to reveal a swim suit she had hid underneath. The dragon slayer failed to notice the quick flash of anger that sparked in his friends eyes.

"Stupid prick, talking about other girls like that." She mumbled in a slur. Natsu heard but chose once more to ignore her statement. He wasn't sure what she was talking about but at the moment, he didn't really care. He was finding himself having fun and that suited him just fine. "Anyway, did you ever stop and think that they were trying to tell you something without directly saying it?"

Natsu's already half lidded eyes narrowed further, and the sudden drop in vision almost caused him to fall of the stool. He grabbed onto the bar and somehow managed to keep himself up but ended up scowling at the brunette who was laughing at him. He growled in frustration as he waited for her to finish laughing. She swung another drink in his direction but this time he didn't drink all of it. He slammed back about half of it before it dropped from his grip and spilled all over him. "Ah fuck!"

Natsu cursed himself for doing something so stupid. He could easily dry off but it would still feel sticky after. He grabbed a towel of the bar before wetting it and trying to clean himself off. Cana was having a ball watching the dragon slayer as he stumbled around, slurred his words and allowed his emotions to take over. He threw the towel in anger back over the bar without caring where it landed. He sat himself back down in the stool but had to hold onto the bar to keep him from falling again.

"What would they be trying to tell me though? I have thought about it but I just can't figure it out."

"That's the point, they want you to figure it out on your own. Let me ask you this, do you think about Lucy a lot?" A nod answered her question. "Do you always want to be around her?" Natsu took a second to think this one over. Yeah he liked to spend time with her but was it like that? But it's true, he did like doing things with her. Going on missions, hanging at the guild, hanging at her apartment, fishing and a lot of other things. She just made it that much more fun. He nodded, answering her question once more. "Do you get upset when other guys act a certain- oh wait, we already figured that out when you said that you didn't like it when Laxus said that."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Tch, idiot. When you get upset over things like that, it's called jealousy. When Laxus began to speak of Lucy in such a manner you felt like he was a threat, didn't you?" Another barrel gone, right along with another mug of beer. Natsu attempted to put this with his pile before realizing that there was no room left on the counter. With a shrug of his shoulders, he threw it behind him before it crashed into the wall and fell to the floor in pieces.

"A threat? A threat to what?" Why was it that every time he spoke with someone about this, he would only end up more confused than before?

"Dammit! Do I have to spell it out for you?! For fucks sake, take the god damn hints everyone is throwing your way! You thought of him as a threat to your relationship with Lucy!"

"So he was threatening my friendship with her? But why would he do that?" With a groan, Cana began to bang her head repetitively against the wooden pillar that she was once using for support. She began mumbling something about the densest person she has ever met in between each hit. "You know what I really don't get." Cana stopped her attacks upon herself before turning to the pinkette. The tone in his voice had suddenly changed and she took interest in the topic once again. "Since all of this has started, I have been having these weird thoughts about her."

The atmosphere suddenly changed with the dragon slayers mood. His serious attitude really surprised the card mage. "What kind of thoughts?"

"I don't know how to describe them. Like earlier when we were talking, I pictured her laughing but it's different from before. It used to be just Lucy laughing now I think of it differently. Now I see her eyes sparkle, I see a shine to her hair and the pink of her lips. And her laugh, it's like music to my ears."

"Maybe that's your answer there." Cana replied in the same tone as him. Their mood no longer cheery or even one of confusion or agitation. It was now serious and she wasn't sure what to make of this version of Natsu. When his pink brow furrowed she sighed. "Look, basically before you only thought of her as a friend and that's why her laugh was just her laughing. Now since it's more than that when you see it, then maybe you see her as something more than just a friend."

Natsu's eye widened at her words. Is that truly what this meant? No, there is just no way! His state of intoxication was not helping him with his thoughts, and he felt incredibly dizzy. His own head fell down and banged against the counter of the bar, causing one of the glass mugs to fall over and smash to the floor. The sound didn't even effect him anymore, since it seemed that he has been breaking a lot of them recently.

"What am I supposed to do now?" The fire mage asked with muffled words. His head was pressed into his arms across the bar and Cana had to lean forward to hear him. Almost losing her balance, she sprung her hands forward to catch herself before she fell.

"That's up to you, you have to choose what you want to do from here on out. Keep it the way it is or make something more out of it." Natsu didn't respond and Cana found herself once more growing bored. She sighed before looking over at the fire mage who looked ready to pass out. It was amusing while it lasted but it was far passed that point. "Look, your beginning to bore me but it was funny for awhile so I'll let you pass. Feel grateful that I am in a good mood."

Natsu's head shot up, but caused him to sway from the sudden movement. Once he finally manage to settle the dizziness, he smiled crookedly at the brunette. "Thanks Cana!" She chuckled before another door appeared on the wall behind her. Natsu stood up and attempted to make his way towards the door, but failing miserably. He stumbled and swayed with each step causing Cana to laugh. She was impressed with how much he was able to handle but it was nothing close to her.

Natsu glanced at the deep crimson door in front of him, two large swords were painted on the front in silver and crossed at their blades. Swords huh? He knew what was coming next.


	9. Chapter 9 Face off with Titania

Sweet Dreams

Chapter 9

Face off with Titania

Natsu pushed open the crimson door to find himself in some sort of dojo. A large room with dark wood floors and bare white walls and pillars greeted him upon entrance. There were no windows and the only source of light was a small lacrima on the ceiling. He could hear the sound of faint breathing and could smell Erza somewhere in the room but was unable to pin point it. The alcohol in his system seemed to be dulling his senses.

A scoff was heard from behind him as he turned around only to lose his footing. He crashed to the floor and groaned in pain. Upon opening his eyes he saw the red head above him, her sword drawn and held out in the exact spot he was just standing in. If it were not for him falling, that sword would have pierced him through.

"You dare come in search for the princess inebriated?" Natsu climbed as best he could to his feet before looking at Erza clad in her flame empress armor. It was clear to him that she was taking this seriously simply by the look in her demonic eyes. He felt a chill pass over him but stood firm with determination. Albeit swaying slightly.

"What's inbravated?" He asked with a slur in his voice. Erza tightened her grip on the sword as she glared at the fire mage. She couldn't believe that he was this stupid. To face her drunk? Seriously, that had to either be the most stupid move ever, or the boldest one. She wasn't sure which.

"You're drunk you fool!" She spat. Natsu chuckled somehow finding this situation rather funny. If he was sober, he would probably be cowering in the corner somewhere but the alcohol in his system was adding to his confidence. Yeah, he always challenged her to a fight but that was when he was sober and when she wasn't in such a foul mood. Right now was the worst time to challenge the great Titania.

"I can still fight." Natsu burped as a trail of fire spewed from his lips. He quickly clasped his hand over his mouth surprised to see that he had lost control of his powers for that split second. A growl escaped the red heads lips before she charged towards the dragon slayer. Natsu's eyes had trouble keeping up with her. She was moving too quickly.

To the best of his current abilities, he moved to the side right as he felt the cool metal of her blade as it slashed the side of his arm. He cursed internally, that really hurt. He looked down his arm to see the crimson red liquid pouring from the wound and dripping off his hand. Natsu looked back at the requip mage, knowing that his flames would have little effect on her in this armor.

She swung her large sword towards him once more, he tried to dodge but tripped and fell face first onto the wood floor. Rolling onto his back, he rubbed his sore nose before a flash of red started to near him. He rolled to the side, and noticed that the sword was now stuck in the hardwood floor where he was just laying.

_Shit that was close._

He forced himself to his feet. How was he supposed to beat her in this state? "Prepare yourself for your death dragon slayer for you shall not pass me!" Natsu backed up as Erza repetitively swung her sword towards him. He could feel the gust of wind that each swing caused and only added to the anxiety he was starting to feel. He was barely dodging the attacks. One false move and he would be done for.

Natsu jumped to the side to avoid anymore of her attacks only to smack into one of the many white pillars in the room. He groaned once more before he maneuvered around it. How the hell was he going to get himself out of this? He could hear Erza as she swung her sword and destroyed the pillar in which he was leaning on.

He jumped the side right as he felt the blade against his back. He hissed in pain as he felt the warmth of his blood trailing down. This wasn't going to be easy. Sweat was beginning to form along his brow as he swung to the side once more to avoid another attack.

He lifted his leg and managed to kick Erza in her side before she growled at him and sent him flying into the wall behind him. He can't even muster half his strength right now from the alcohol, what was he to do? His head was pounding from the impact but he brushed off the dust and chunks of wood before standing up. He used the wall for support as he climbed out.

Before he could climb fully out of the wall, another sword came flying towards him. He ducked and landed on his stomach with an omph before trying to crawl away to avoid more of her attacks. He turned onto his back and swung his foot out catching the requip mage off guard causing her to crash to the floor.

He smirked, happy that he managed to actually land a decent hit but his smirk quickly vanished when a feral growl escaped the red heads lips as she pushed herself back up. He ran off, trying to put some distance between them.

His flames might not work fully, but at the moment this was all he had. With a quick inhale of breath, he released a long stream of flames towards Erza who swiftly jumped to the side avoiding the attack. Natsu cursed and wiped the ever growing amount of sweat from his brow. His adrenaline was pumping and his heart was racing.

He has to beat her, or else he won't be able to save Lucy.

Once more Erza charged forward, her sword held at the ready. Natsu wasn't sure why, but he seemed to be able to keep his eyes on her now. He could still feel the effects of the alcohol but for some reason they didn't seem as bad. When she reached him, he managed to grab hold of her arm, effectively blocking the attack before sending another dragons roar towards her.

With his grip on her arm, she wasn't able to move away in time and took on the power of the attack. Thankfully her armor lowered the amount of damage she took but still she panted as she waited for the smoke to clear.

She could now see that Natsu was standing a few feet away, a smirk growing steadily upon his face when she realized that he was no longer swaying. A grin began to form across her lips as she raced forward again. Natsu was able to dodge much easier, moving from side to side with little to no problems now.

Her sword barely missed him as he reached forward and grasped her arm then flipped her over his shoulder. She slammed into the floor as a cough escaped her lips. She jumped back onto her feet and left her sword laying upon the floor. Her fist collided with Natsu's gut before he sunk to his knees barely keeping himself conscious. That was the attack she would normally use on him while riding a train. She lifted her metal clad foot and slammed it into the side of his face causing him to fly through the air and smash into another pillar. Blood trailed down the side of his face as he coughed from the impact. He gulped in deep breaths of air and attempted to push himself back onto his feet.

With one eye closed, he glared at Erza trying with all his might to figure out a way to beat her. He was having difficulty just staying conscious let alone actually moving. That move she pulled was cheap for she knew that always knocked him out. She reclaimed her sword before turning her steel-like gaze back onto him. Another chill ran down his spine before he watched her charge towards him. He tried to rush off, to dodge the attack but the hit to his gut was slowing him down. He slipped and smashed his face into the hardwood floor.

Groaning, he shot up as quickly as he could manage, knowing that Erza would be attacking at any second. The sound of wood splintering hit his ears and he turned to see the giant sword once more in the ground where he just was. Pushing himself to stand up straight, his eyes glared into her brown ones, determination set in them.

The red head faltered for one second, the look in his eyes catching her off guard but she brushed it off before readying herself for the next attack. Natsu used all the strength he could muster to move forward his fists ignited in flames before he began to throw punches towards the red head. She expertly dodged most while the others she blocked with her large sword.

Natsu groaned in pain when one of his punches landed on the jagged edge of the blade effectively slicing open his knuckles. He backed away, only causing Erza to smirk at his sudden retreat. "What's the matter? Giving up already?" She taunted. She received only a growl in response.

Natsu stood there holding his injured fist in his free hand as the crimson fluid dripped down onto the wood floor. His blood could be spotted all over this dojo yet not an ounce of it was Erza's. What was he to do? It's not like he truly wanted to hurt the woman but he did want to beat her. He would defeat anyone who stood in his way of saving Lucy.

The red head once more raised her sword and charged forward. Natsu ducked as the blade once again just missed him and managed to cut a few stray strands of his hair. The small pink locks fell to the floor and changed to a deep red as they soaked in the pool of blood. Natsu flipped back, once more putting more distance between them before he sucked in the surrounding air and prepared for his dragons roar once more.

"Don't you realize that your attacks won't work. They are useless on me." Natsu glared at the woman. He didn't like the look she was holding in her eyes at the moment. It was not something he was used to seeing. She was looking down upon him, as if he were below her. This seemed much like her Edolas counterpart and he was never fond of that woman.

"I don't care if my attacks work or not. I won't give up, I will fight until I can no longer stand in order to save Lucy. I have to win, there are more important things at stake here than just winning a fight." Erza's steel-like gaze did not alter nor did she show any sign that she cared for what he said. Instead her response was another sudden attack aimed for his chest.

Natsu's eyes widened when he realized that if that attack had hit, it could have been lethal. This woman was not holding back any longer, she was going for the kill and that is exactly what Natsu will do in return. Determination replaced the shock in Natsu's eyes before he stood up straight. His flames began to widen, spreading over his entire body. They began to take on a different look, one would even say that the flames could be considered golden. His eyes reflected the golden flames and even Erza could feel just how serious Natsu was now.

She stood straight and held her sword at the ready. Her feet widened as she waited for Natsu to make the first move. His flames continuously grew, and Erza began to wonder if the dojo would catch fire. In a flash Natsu raced forward, his entire body surrounded in the golden flames. She was prepared to block, willing to take on the attack just to show that he couldn't pass her.

His fist collided with Erza's blade and pushed her back several feet. She dug her heels into the wood floor and ground her teeth together as she put all her strength into blocking his fist. Natsu pushed further, his flames continued to expand the more determined he became. The flames engulfed the red heads sword as she looked on in astonishment.

Natsu pushed harder as Erza could feel the flames burning through the hilt of her sword and burning her hands but she bit back the pain. She couldn't let him pass, she wouldn't. Lucy needed to be protected at all costs. Not just anyone can come and rescue her. Suddenly a cracking sound could be heard as the requip mages eyes widened.

Her brown eyes gazed down at the crack that was now beginning to form in her blade. Another crack and it began to spread before finally the sword broke in two and the power behind Natsu's attack sent her flying. She crashed into the wall, rubble falling all around her. Natsu's flames still surrounded him as he walked forward and gazed down at the gasping red head.

Once he noticed that she was unable to stand, his flames vanished and Natsu fell to his knee's. He was completely exhausted of his magic yet satisfied with the results. He managed to beat Erza, the great Titania and he was another step closer to saving Lucy.

"Never...thought...that you of all...people...would be able to...use the...flame of rebuke." She panted out. Natsu tore his eyes from the floor and looked into her warm brown eyes. They no longer held the cold steely gaze as before but more of one that held admiration. Natsu felt pride building inside him, he has never seen Erza look at anyone in such a way and it really felt great. "Good thing that...your fire...sobered you."

Her panting was beginning to slow as she started to catch her breath. Natsu's onyx eyes never left hers, he wasn't sure of what she was talking about. She chuckled once she saw the confusion on his face but cringed when the movement caused pain to the wounds that she had gained.

"Your fire, it was able to help sober you." Her eyes turned to the ceiling, a small smile tugged at her lips. "Maybe it helped you sweat it out, I'm not certain but you should be thankful you have such an ability or else you would probably have lost."

Natsu knew what she was saying was true and he was always thankful for his dragon slayer abilities. Never once has he ever taken them for granted. Erza was happy with the results, for some odd reason she felt that the princess would be safe with this man. That he would take care of her.

He may have been drunk when he first arrived, a grave mistake indeed, but somehow he managed to change that during the course of the battle. Either the heat of his flames forced it out, or the pure determination that he held willed it gone. It was something she has never seen before. This man was indeed unique. "You win, you pass to the next level."

Natsu glanced behind him to see a door on the other side of the dojo. The only thing running through his mind at this point was how is he going to manage another battle in this condition? He was exhausted and his wounds were deep. He needed rest and sustenance, and badly.

With a deep breath, he pushed himself back onto his feet, willing himself to continue for Lucy's sake. He took one last glance at Erza and she nodded at him. He returned the nod before slowly making his way to the door.

Once he stood in front of it, he could see the deep blue door with what looked to be weird birds upon it. The handle was made of silver and cool to the touch as he reached forward. With one last breath he pushed it open, ready to take on whatever obstacles that got in his way.


	10. AN Please read

**Hey there everyone, sorry about this, but this is not an update! Unfortunately things have not been going well this past week for me and it's making it extremely hard for me to update. I know this probably sounds like an excuse but trust me, I will try my best to update when I can.**

**On Saturday, a water pipe busted in my basement causing it to be flooded. The floor was covered in three inches of water by the time we came home and shut it off. We called our insurance and they told us that they couldn't get anyone out to our home till today. Come Sunday, a foul odor began to form so we called Allstate back and they told us to pack up and head to a hotel. Finally, after two hours of waiting, the adjuster from Allstate showed up at our home and told us that it is definitely not safe for us to be there and that they were going to have to remove the furniture from the entire home and have it cleaned. A lot of our furniture in our basement is going to have to be thrown out.**

**To go into a little detail to show you just how much of a pain this is, I'll give you an idea of what I had down there. There was a family room with sectional sofa, tv and stand, three bookshelves, computer and desk, brand new washer and dryer, a bowflex, coffee and end tables and etc. That's in the family room alone. We had a fourth bedroom right off the family room and everything in there has to go as well including the antique bedroom set, all my stored clothes and shoes, and so much more. Plus there was a full bathroom down there.**

**Tomorrow (Tuesday) the insurance adjuster comes back out with the cleaning crew to help remove everything and to decide if it can be salvaged of if it has to be thrown away. We were told that as long as everything is done quickly, we could be back in our home by this weekend. But until then, I only have my laptop with me and this whole mess is taking up a lot of my time. I have had to call out of work both today and tomorrow, so I am losing hours there. **

**And then with everything that has to be done in the basement alone, that doesn't include the removal and cleaning of all the clothes and linens upstairs. Nor the three bedrooms, dinning, kitchen and living room worth of furniture and other things. Most of our clothes and any other linens have to be thrown away and all new stuff will have to be bought.**

**Anyway, to sum it up, most of my time will be spent at our house dealing with the insurance adjuster and cleaners and the rest will be either at work, shopping for the new stuff or at the hotel resting. Too much is going on right now to be able to really do anything at the moment. I really am sorry, and once this is done I will update as much as I can. **

**Thanks so much for your support, I really appreciate it!**


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